Tunisia - Prime Minister Kamel Madouri on Thursday presided over the Council of Ministers at the Government Palace in Kasbah to review several draft laws and decrees related to the health, civil protection, and education sectors.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Ministry, the Cabinet discussed a draft organic law concerning the approval of a headquarters agreement between the Government of the Tunisian Republic and the Arab Board of Health Specialisations.

This agreement aims to establish a coordination office in Tunisia, which will enhance Tunisia's role and that of the Maghreb countries in the activities of the Arab Board of Health Specialtisations.

The office will enable Tunisia to benefit from the programmes and services provided by the Board to member states, strengthen Tunisia's regional and Arab positioning, and contribute to healthcare training.

Another draft law reviewed by the Cabinet pertains to the approval of a loan agreement signed on September 24, 2024, between the Tunisian Republic and the French Development Agency (AFD) to contribute to the financing of a project to modernise the National Office of Civil Protection.

The loan agreement aims to support the intervention capabilities of the National Office of Civil Protection, ensuring optimal preparedness and effective disaster response.

The €50 million loan, repayable over 20 years with a 7-year grace period, will enhance Tunisia's civil protection system by improving risk anticipation, prevention, and response mechanisms.

The Cabinet also examined a draft decree extending the mandate of the Results-Based Management Unit responsible for implementing the Primary Education Support Project.

This project, co-funded by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, was established under Government Decree No. 493 of May 29, 2019. The extension aims to increase the capacity of primary schools, improve their infrastructure and equipment, enhance the quality of education for students and teachers, and upgrade educational spaces.

The project includes the construction of 50 new schools, expansion work for 2,000 schools, and the rehabilitation of 800 schools. Additionally, 500 primary schools will be equipped with computers and digital tools. Currently, 1,325 primary schools across the country are covered under this initiative.

At the outset of the meeting, Prime Minister Madouri stressed the importance of intensifying the pace of government work and ensuring that all public structures and services fulfill their legal responsibilities. This, he said, is essential to ensure effective performance and the proper governance of public facilities. He also called for mobilising all available resources and efforts across state structures to implement the government's social and economic programs.

Madouri urged the government team to fully commit to achieving the set objectives, which are aligned with the principles of a social state. These include improving citizens' purchasing power and living standards, as well as enhancing the quality of services provided by public institutions, in line with the priorities outlined by the President of the Republic.

The Prime Minister emphasised the need for all ministries to move forward with reforming public structures and institutions under his supervision. He called for accelerating the pace of reforms, shortening deadlines, and achieving a legislative revolution across various sectors.

«Each ministry is expected to propose practical and radical solutions, adopting a bold and comprehensive approach to improve public management and enhance the performance of public institutions.» This, he said, is crucial to overcoming existing challenges and restoring financial stability.

Madouri also highlighted the importance of balancing the acceleration of public projects, which are a key component of public investment, with stimulating private investment as a driver of social and economic development.

He called for increased efforts to support investors and activate dedicated structures across ministries and public institutions.

Additionally, he underscored the significance of the horizontal investment law, which has reached advanced stages of preparation under the adopted approach to stimulate investment.

The Prime Minister reiterated the government's commitment to achieving tangible progress in all sectors, ensuring that Tunisia's development goals are met efficiently and effectively.

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